Moody Moody Madeline
by Frogs and hugs and smiles
Summary: Everyones fav. character is back. But I don't know where he's going. Any ideas?


Chapter 1  
  
  
  
Roux looked up and smiled as she ran down the beach and along the   
  
pier, but she didn't stop or return the smile. "Maddie?" he called after her.   
  
She slammed the cabin door in his face in response. Roux sighed and put   
  
down the half finished model and the knife he was holding. It had been three   
  
months since Maddie had joined the River Rats and she was not fitting in   
  
well. Not that she had made any effort to fit in, but still, the caring nature in   
  
Roux was worried about her.  
  
The eight year old was lying on top of her bed; her head buried in her   
  
arms; her shoulders shaking. Roux sat down on the edge of her bed and   
  
gently reached out to pat her arm. She shook him off and began to sob   
  
louder.  
  
"Maddie?"  
  
"Go 'way."  
  
  
  
"What's the matter?"  
  
"Leave me 'lone!" she snapped.  
  
  
  
"Not till you tell me what's wrong." There was a silence, only broken   
  
by Madeline's sniffs as she contemplated this.  
  
"They're so horrible. All of them. They're so nasty. I hate them."  
  
"You don't hate them, love."  
  
"Yes I do. I hate them." She sniffed, rubbed her eyes and sat up   
  
slightly. "I hate them, I hat the river, I hate the boats, I hate the rats." She   
  
paused for breath and turned to look at him. "And I hate you too" she added.   
  
She turned round, buried her head in the pillow and started crying afresh.   
  
Roux was not shaken by this outburst; he was used to her tempers. He stayed   
  
where he was and stroked her hair, waiting for her to calm down. From the   
  
beach, the noise of the other children laughing and singing could be heard.   
  
Roux listened quietly until he could hear their chant.  
  
"Moody moody Madeline  
  
Washed her hair in turpentine  
  
  
  
Turpentine to make it shine  
  
  
  
Moody moody Madeline."  
  
  
  
That's what the crying had been for. Maddie must have heard it too,   
  
as the tears that had been subdued began again. She cried for a moment and   
  
mumbled something unintelligible.  
  
  
  
"What was that?" Roux asked.  
  
  
  
"Ou est ma mere?" she whispered, between sobs.  
  
  
  
"In English please" he reproached her. He understood her well enough   
  
but few of the other River Rats did. Roux himself was from Ireland, the   
  
others came from all over but English was the one language most could   
  
speak so that was the one used.  
  
  
  
"I want mummy."  
  
  
  
"I know you do love" he said comfortingly, trying to shush her.  
  
  
  
"Why did I have to leave? Why did you take me away?" She sat up   
  
suddenly, as though her anger had given her a new energy. "I hate you   
  
Roux!" She was now yelling at him, hitting and kicking him too. "You stole   
  
me from her! You made me leave mummy and you didn't even let me say   
  
goodbye. I hate you Roux! I hate you I hate you I hate you!"  
  
  
  
Roux gathered her small, flailing fists into his hand and used his free   
  
arm to pull her gently onto his lap. She struggled for a minute but calmed   
  
down eventually and collapsed against his strong body. He cradled her like a   
  
baby and sang to her until the tears subsided and her breathing slowed.  
  
  
  
"You know why you came with us. Your mother was very sick and   
  
couldn't look after you any more. She made me promise to take care of   
  
you." Maddie said nothing. The truth was that Emelie knew she was dying   
  
and didn't want her only child to see her so ill. She only had a short time left   
  
and it would not be pleasant for her or anyone with her. Even if Madeline   
  
had not left, what would there be for her in Marseille? Emelie's husband   
  
Michel-an old friend of Roux's-had been dead for six years nearly. There   
  
was nobody else Emelie trusted to love and care for her child the way she   
  
would have.  
  
  
  
"She wanted you to come with me and start a new life here, with a   
  
new family."  
  
  
  
"I don't want a new life or a new family! Je voudrais maman."   
  
Maddie bit her lip and Roux watched as the innocent brown eyes filled up   
  
with tears. He knew the sorrow she felt-he had lost a friend-almost close   
  
enough to be a sister-the day Emelie died. He loved Madeline like his own   
  
child and wanted to protect her-he at least owed that to Emelie and Michel   
  
after all the couple had done for him. Not having the heart to check her for   
  
slipping back to her native language, he sat quietly and hugged her.  
  
  
  
They could still hear the children's chant from outside. Fearing the   
  
crying would start again, Roux let her slide off his knee and promised to go   
  
and 'have a word' with the bullies. It wasn't often that Roux got angry with   
  
the children. In fact, it wasn't often that Roux got angry with anyone. He   
  
was a good friend and an unofficial uncle to the River Rat children- he   
  
would play games and teach them songs; he would listen to their stories and   
  
in return tell them his; he always had time for them. He was a much loved   
  
and well respected man amongst both the children and the adults in the   
  
wandering tribe.  
  
  
  
Roux was fairly laid back and gentle and it was rare for him to get   
  
mad, but when he decided it was time to 'have a word' with someone, he   
  
was strong and powerful and respected enough for the kids to be scared.   
  
He'd had enough of the name calling and nasty rhymes- it was time to put a   
  
stop to the bullying. 


End file.
